Loverboy, Cutie Pie
by EB91
Summary: Why does The Man taunt Roger by calling him "Loverboy, cutie pie"? Mimi questions Roger on the countless times she's heard The Man taunt Roger with the nicknames. Kind of a bad discription. One-shot, Mimi/Roger. Post-Rent. Complete.


_Hey guys! I came up with a new story - my first Mimi/Roger fic! This is Post-Rent. Also, I believe that in the play there was never a specified year. I always thought it took place in the late 80's-early 90's. I know Smashing Pumpkin's Today didn't come out until (I'm pretty sure) 1993, so I think it could work out._

Anywho, here it is. Jonathan Larson owns all. Song mentioned is Today by Smashing Pumpkins. I don't own that, either, although it is a killer song. :)

_Enjoy, and don't forget to review! :D_

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"Hey Rog," Mimi said quietly from where she stood. She leaned against the door frame into the room she and Roger shared in the loft. Roger looked up from his comfortable spot on the bed where he was musing himself, strumming random chords and occasionally plucking out the all-too familiar _Your Eyes_ and even _Musetta's Waltz_.

"Yeah babe?" Roger answered, absent-mindedly plucking out the simple notes of Smashing Pumpkin's _Today_. He had heard the song on the radio earlier and couldn't get the simple melody out of his head. It was just too catchy. As he picked at the thin metal strings of his guitar, Mimi entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed. She sat down quietly and kept her eyes on Roger, biting her lip.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Roger furrowed his brow in confusion. Of course she could ask him a question, why wouldn't she be able to? They trusted each other one hundred percent, and he didn't know why she needed his permission to simply ask a question. Playing it off as normal as he could, he simply nodded his head. "Sure, what's up?"

She bit her lip even more, considering something in her head. Averting her eyes to the bed, she began playing with a hole in the blanket, creating an even larger gap.

"Well, I...It's a really, very random question, and I don't know what your reaction will be, and I just want to know –" Roger cut her off, softly placing his hand on her cheek. She looked up into his green eyes, seeing nothing but trust and concern.

"Meems, it's alright. What's up?" He repeated softly. She had his full attention. Mimi sighed and continued.

"I was just wondering...Well, I was thinking back, right? About all the slip ups I had." Roger frowned at this. He hated thinking about times when Mimi tried to quit heroin and the many times she gave in to temptation. Mimi kept on. "And our first date – Maureen's protest, remember? And the time you caught me in the alley way across from the Cat Scratch with The Man?" Roger didn't like where this was going.

There was a pause where Roger was waiting for Mimi to continue. She just stared at him for a moment, knowing this was a rough topic for him. She wasn't sure what his reaction would be. After a few moments, Roger still couldn't see where this was going.

"Yeah? What about it?" Roger was so confused now. Slip ups? The alley by the Cat Scratch? The Man? He thought they were done with that?

"Well," Mimi continued, "Every time you and The Man saw each other, he would always say the same thing.'He there loverboy, cutie pie.'" Mimi imitated the man who ultimately sold them their deaths, holding her arms out as if she had jutting muscles and lowering her voice as low as it would go. She paused briefly to see Roger's reaction. He narrowed his eyes slightly and furrowed his brow more. Mimi continued, "I was just wondering...Well, I just wanted to know why he said that? Why did he call you 'Loverboy, cutie pie' every time? Couldn't he just've called you by your name, 'Roger?' How difficult is that, it's shorter, too!" Mimi ended with a laugh. She kept laughing for a minute at how ridiculous she thought it was, only to be knocked out of her reverie by the silence surrounding her. She stopped laughing and looked over at Roger. He was just looking at her, his expression unreadable. All she knew was that he wasn't happy. Mimi bit her lip – she knew that wasn't a good sign.

"Rog?" Mimi asked quietly, hoping Roger wouldn't lash out angrily. Roger looked down at his guitar and ran his middle finger up and down the low E string slowly. "I'm sorry, babe, I just – " she was cut off again. Roger barely held up his hand, but she knew enough that he was going to take his time. Roger sighed and licked his lips. He had never really thought about it before, and never once considered Mimi not knowing. He just always accepted the nickname without question.

"They were, uh," Roger cleared his throat, which had suddenly become tight, "They were our nicknames."

"You and The Man?!" Mimi blurted out, unable to stop herself. Roger looked up and gave a small smirk, seeing her brown eyes large and surprised. Roger paused for a second, seeing how easily it sounded like that.

"No. They were, uh, my and April's nicknames." He said quietly, still smiling small. His eyes went back to his guitar, sliding his fingers on the coiled strings. "To April, I was 'Loverboy' and to me, April was 'Cutie Pie.'" He bit his bottom lip hard. He hadn't said that name in years, and it sounded weird to him having said it out loud and not have it be directed to April. Mimi nodded slowly in the silence, taking in the information.

"But I thought you thought cutesy nicknames were dumb? How many times did you tease Mark for 'Pookie', or gag at Maureen and Joanne's 'Pookie' and 'Honey Bear?'" Mimi pointed out, giving Roger a light punch in the shoulder. Roger grinned and rubbed the spot Mimi hit although it didn't especially hurt.

"Well, those are dumb nicknames. Those are pet names. 'Loverboy' and 'Cutie Pie' are just...I don't know. It's different." Roger shrugged, but Mimi could tell there was more by the slightly pained look in his usually happy green eyes. She looked at him in the eyes, a sad smile playing across her lips. He sighed and looked up at her.

"What?" He asked quietly. He didn't like the look Mimi was giving him; it was the sad, sympathetic, pitying look that he got a lot after April had killed herself. He was over that look.

"Tell me. What's the real reason you hate those nicknames? Why did you constantly tease Mark about it?" Mimi quietly asked. She reached over and pushed some of Roger's blond waves out of his eyes. Roger sighed and gave into her request. He knew he couldn't keep things from her. He bit his cheek and thought.

Why _did_ he hate those nicknames? Were they really _that_ dumb? 'Honey Bear' was no dumber sounding than 'Cutie Pie' was by any means. 'Pookie' was kind of ridiculous sounding, but then again, so was 'Loverboy' when he thought about it. As he turned it over in his mind, he realized just why he always hated hearing his friends use those nicknames.

"Well," he began, and let out a big sigh. "I guess I was always bitter towards those nicknames because I was...jealous. I was jealous of my friends after April died. They all had someone to love, and had nicknames that only they could call each other. And I had no one. I was alone. It was only me, 'Loverboy', with no one to love. As childish as it is, I saw it as really unfair, and claimed that everyone else's nicknames were dumb, just because I couldn't have one anymore. I know that's selfish, but...I just...They –" Mimi cut Roger off. She placed her hand on his cheek, directing his eyes towards hers. When he looked into her eyes, he saw that they were glossed over with tears. He was unaware of the tears running down his own cheeks until Mimi ran her thumb over his cheek, wiping them away. He let out a small laugh, unable to stand the sad quietness between them.

Mimi had never really been the best at quietness. She was always too happy and energetic to be quiet. Mimi, too, began to laugh quietly.

"That's really sweet, Roger." She said through her tears. "I didn't know that. And I'm sorry." She smiled at him.

"What's sweet? That I gagged every time I heard my friends show affection towards each other? That's kind of twisted if you ask me." Roger smiled, wiping Mimi's tears away. Mimi laughed and playfully slapped his arm.

"Not that! You know what I meant! Those nicknames are special to you. They shouldn't be used against you in order to taunt you and make you angry." She said, referring to The Man.

Roger nodded in agreement. "Yeah, well, what can you do? After she died and I stopped going to him, he thought it was unfair that he had lost two faithful clients. And then because I was 'stealing' you from him he thought the best thing to do would be to taunt me and remind me of why he hated me. I don't care. He's a cruel asshole." Roger shrugged it off, even though it still did bother him. He smiled at Mimi and pulled her into a hug.

"But I still think teasing Mark with 'Pookie' is way too much fun." He whispered into Mimi's ear as she leaned her head against chest. Scoffing in mock disgust, Mimi playfully slapped Roger on the chest. Roger just smiled, flinching against her hand.

"That's so mean, Rog!" Mimi said, smiling. Roger smiled back and pulled her in. He kissed her softly and looked into her large, brown eyes, now free of tears.

"I love you." He whispered and kissed her again. Mimi grinned into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I love you, too." She responded, laying her head back onto his chest. Roger leaned them back so they were lying on the bed together and wrapped his arms around her. They lied there for a while, perfectly content on just cuddling.

"So, I was thinking," Roger said, breaking the easy silence.

"Mmm?" Mimi looked up at Roger, giving him her full attention.

"We should have nicknames for each other." Roger grinned down at the Latina. Mimi snorted and rolled onto her side. Leaning on her elbow, she looked at Roger with a bemused smile.

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Well," He paused, grinning at his girlfriend, "I was thinking something like, 'Glitterbug,' or, 'Pussycat,' or, 'M'lady' for you. For me, I've got some good ones! 'Stud Muffin, 'Casanova,' and even the almighty 'Mack Daddy!'" Roger grinned and reached his arm out in front of him as if he was reading a billboard. Mimi looked at him with wide, unbelieving eyes. There was a pause, and Mimi snorted, unable to keep her laughter back.

"'Pussycat?' Oh, _PLEASE_, Roger, _really_? And 'Mack Daddy?' What the hell!" She giggled. She reached behind her and stole the pillow Roger was resting his head on and smacked him across the face. Laughing, Roger tackled the dancer beneath him. He leaned down and kissed her, momentarily silencing her from her giggles. When they parted, Mimi looked into his eyes.

"Hey Roger?" She asked, her voice low and quiet.

Interested, Roger smirked and furrowed his brow. "Yeah?"

She leaned up and kissed Roger along his jaw line, sending chills throughout his body. Leaning down a bit, Roger heard Mimi whisper, "I'll be the 'Pussycat' to your 'Mack Daddy' any day." Roger looked at Mimi and caught a wink. Unable to resist, Roger leaned down and kissed her again with more passion than he had in him. Grinning into the kiss, Mimi wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, letting things continue through the night.

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_A/N - So, I came up with the idea for this while I was in my bathroom. According to Swinny and I, bathrooms are the most inspiring rooms of all. Story ideas just seem to sprout out of nowhere while showering. Hell, even the Flux Capacitor was thought up in the bathroom! (Yeah Back to the Future! Best 80's movie ever!) Haha._

Anywho, hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to review!

_  
-EB91_

PS - For all those who have seen David Searching, I had to put "M'lady" in here as a nickname. That's probably one of my favorite parts of the movie, along with many, many more. XD


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